10 TV Shows That Put LGBT Characters Front & Center

Few of us can deny how incredibly diverse television has become. Now more than ever, we’re seeing TV shows push characters of all colors, sizes, and sexualities to the forefront of their storytelling, and we couldn’t be happier about it! Not only are these stories opening doors for queer stories to be told to the masses, but they’re giving each of us an opportunity to see ourselves for who we are, what we can be, and what we bring to the table.

Here are 10 television shows that are putting LGBT characters front and center!

Wynonna Earp

For the past few years, Wynonna Earp has been making waves in the LGBT community. In a vast sea of Sci-Fi television shows, Wynonna Earp is one of the few that offers both engaging storylines and incredible representation for the community. While the show is more broadly about the descendants of Wyatt Earp, it boasts a lovely relationship between sweet Waverly Earp and gun-slinging cop Nicole Haught. They’re just too cute to miss!

The Bold Type

If you’re looking for QPOC representation, then The Bold Type is for you. Fresh off its very first season, the TV series has been applauded for its fearless storytelling and compelling female characters. But it’s the relationship between bisexual social media director Kat (Aisha Dee) and “proud Muslim lesbian” Adena (Nikohl Boosheri) that truly stole everyone’s hearts.

Wentworth

By and large, Wentworth flies under most people’s radar, which is unfortunate because it offers such a wealth of queer characters to love and obsess over. From dapper ladykillers to uniform-sporting dommes, this women’s prison show truly does have something for everyone.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Brooklyn Nine-Nine made headlines recently when one of its most beloved characters, Rosa, came out as bisexual to her conservative Latino parents. The storyline follows actress Stephanie Beatriz’s own coming out story which unfolded last summer.

Star Trek: Discovery

There’s been lots of talk recently about Star Trek: Discovery taking the franchise in an all-new direction. And LGBT representation is a huge part of the show’s progression. Anthony Rapp and Wilson Jermaine Heredia (both of whom you may remember from Rent) play a groundbreaking, openly gay couple on the show. While the show itself has received mixed reviews, the same-sex coupling has gotten the stamp of approval from audiences worldwide.

The Girlfriend Experience

The Girlfriend Experience is all the rage on social media these days, especially now that its second season is exploring a domme-sub lesbian relationship. The show, which follows the exploits of professional escorts, offers a highly stylized look at what it means to blur the lines between business and pleasure.

Jessica Jones

While we all wait patiently for the second season of Jessica Jones, let’s revisit one of the best things about the first season: that awesome relationship between Jeri Hogarth (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Pam (Susie Abromeit). In a world full of manipulation, grit, and villainous antics, these two gave us just a tiny bit of hope that love could still flourish.

The 100

Say hello to the very show that sparked the "LGBT Fans Deserve Better" movement! With a handful of beloved LGBT characters, The 100 has solidified its place among the classics of queer television. While the LGBT relationships on the show may not always play out as we’d like, The 100 still offers the representation we need and deserve.

The Fosters

The Fosters is, hands down, one of the most groundbreaking TV series on our screens today. Not only does it use its platform to educate us about the downfalls of the American foster care system, but it presents same-sex relationships in as loving, respectable, and hopeful a way as anyone could ask for.

American Horror Story

Thanks to Ryan Murphy’s dedication to showing the LGBT community in all its glory, almost every season of American Horror Story features a prominent non-straight couple. So take your pick of seasons, because each one offers its own little delight!